Resveratrol inhibition of lipid peroxidation

To define the molecular mechanism(s) of resveratrol inhibition of lipid peroxidation we have utilized model systems that allow us to study the different reactions involved in this complex process. Resveratrol proved (a) to inhibit more efficiently than either Trolox or ascorbate the Fe2+ catalyzed lipid hydroperoxide-dependent peroxidation of sonicated phosphatidylcholine liposomes; (b) to be less effective than Trolox in inhibiting lipid peroxidation initiated by the water soluble AAPH peroxyl radicals; (c) when exogenously added to liposomes, to be more potent than alpha-tocopherol and Trolox, in the inhibition of peroxidation initiated by the lipid soluble AMVN peroxyl radicals; (d) when incorporated within liposomes, to be a less potent chain-breaking antioxidant than alpha-tocopherol; (e) to be a weaker antiradical than alpha-tocopherol in the reduction of the stable radical DPPH*. Resveratrol reduced Fe3+ but its reduction rate was much slower than that observed in the presence of either ascorbate or Trolox. However, at the concentration inhibiting iron catalyzed lipid peroxidation, resveratrol did not significantly reduce Fe3+, contrary to ascorbate. In their complex, our data indicate that resveratrol inhibits lipid peroxidation mainly by scavenging lipid peroxyl radicals within the membrane, like alpha-tocopherol. Although it is less effective, its capacity of spontaneously entering the lipid environment confers on it great antioxidant potential.     

Site-activity relationship of nitroxide radical's antioxidative effect

A relatively new strategy in preventing oxidative damage employs cyclic nitroxides. These stable radicals have been widely used as biophysical probes, spin labels, and are currently tested as contrast agents for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. Nitroxides were found to protect cells, organs, and whole animals against diverse oxidative insults. The present study concentrated on comparing the antioxidative activity of nitroxides against oxidative damage, initiated either in the lipid or aqueous phase, to egg phosphatidylcholine acyl chains (13.4% polyunsaturated fatty acids) in small unilamellar vesicles. We determined the lipophilicity and liposome-membrane/aqueous-medium partition coefficient for several nitroxides and compared their specific protective effects. The aim was to study the relation between nitroxides' concentration, location in the lipid bilayer, and their protection against oxidative damage. Both 6-membered- and 5-membered-ring nitroxides were studied for: (i) partitioning between the lipid bilayer and the aqueous phase (nitroxides were quantified using EPR spectroscopy); (ii) the intrabilayer distribution, using three different fluorescent probes of known location of their fluorophors in the lipid bilayer; and (iii) the specific antioxidative effect (protection per concentration) against radicals formed in a liposomal dispersion. The radicals were generated using the thermolabile, radical-generating compounds 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) in the aqueous phase, and 2,2'-azobis (2,4-dimethyl-valeronitrile) (AMVN) in the lipid phase. The results show that nitroxides react, in a concentration-dependent manner, with deleterious species at their formation sites, both in the aqueous and the lipid phase, and that their specific protective effects for the lipophilic target, the lipid bilayer, are similar for both the lipophilic and the hydrophilic nitroxides.     

Resveratrol inhibition of lipid peroxidation

To define the molecular mechanism(s) of resveratrol inhibition of lipid peroxidation we have utilized model systems that allow us to study the different reactions involved in this complex process. Resveratrol proved (a) to inhibit more efficiently than either Trolox or ascorbate the Fe²⁺ catalyzed lipid hydroperoxide-dependent peroxidation of sonicated phosphatidylcholine liposomes; (b) to be less effective than Trolox in inhibiting lipid peroxidation initiated by the water soluble AAPH peroxyl radicals; (c) when exogenously added to liposomes, to be more potent than α-tocopherol and Trolox, in the inhibition of peroxidation initiated by the lipid soluble AMVN peroxyl radicals; (d) when incorporated within liposomes, to be a less potent chain-breaking antioxidant than α-tocopherol; (e) to be a weaker antiradical than α-tocopherol in the reduction of the stable radical DPPH^·. Resveratrol reduced Fe³⁺ but its reduction rate was much slower than that observed in the presence of either ascorbate or Trolox. However, at the concentration inhibiting iron catalyzed lipid peroxidation, resveratrol did not significantly reduce Fe³⁺, contrary to ascorbate. In their complex, our data indicate that resveratrol inhibits lipid peroxidation mainly by scavenging lipid peroxyl radicals within the membrane, like α-tocopherol. Although it is less effective, its capacity of spontaneously entering the lipid environment confers on it great antioxidant potential.     

Influence of oligomer chain length on the antioxidant activity of procyanidins

The antioxidant activity of catechin monomers and procyanidin (dimers to hexamers) fractions purified from cocoa was studied in two in vitro systems: liposomes and human LDL. Liposome oxidation (evaluated as formation of 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) was initiated with 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) hydrochloride (AAPH), 2,2'-azobis (2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) (AMVN), iron/ascorbate, or UV-C; LDL oxidation (evaluated as formation of conjugated dienes) was initiated with Cu(2+) or AAPH. Catechin monomers and procyanidin fractions inhibited both liposome and LDL oxidation. Monomers, dimers, and trimers fractions were the most effective antioxidants when liposome oxidation was initiated in the aqueous phase. When oxidation was initiated in the lipid domains, higher molecular weight procyanidins were the most effective. All fractions significantly inhibited Cu-mediated LDL oxidation; no significant effect of procyanidin molecular weight was observed. The hexamer fraction was the least effective with respect to preventing AAPH initiated LDL oxidation. Results reported herein give further evidence on the influence of the oligomer chain length on the antioxidant protection by procyanidins.     

Effect of various radical generators on insulin-dependent regulation of hepatic gene expression

Oxidative stress is recognized to be associated with the development of insulin resistance. Although free radicals are generated in various ways in vivo, very few radical generators have been used to investigate the effect of oxidative stress on cellular insulin signaling. In order to compare the effect of radical generators with different sites and durations of radical formation on liver insulin action, primary cultured rat hepatocytes were incubated with radical generators and insulin-dependent regulation of gene expression was examined. The hydrophobic 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) (AMVN) radical and H2O2 increased plasma membrane damage, and the hydrophilic 2-2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) radical and buthionine sulfoxyimine (BSO) increased oxidation of intracellular substances. Paraquat (PQ) and H2O2 inhibited insulin-dependent repression of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) gene expression. These results indicate that PQ and H2O2 impair insulin action effectively and are suitable for examining crosstalk between oxidative stress and insulin signaling in liver-cell culture systems.     

Oxidative modification of rat eye lens proteins by peroxyl radicals in vitro: protection by the chain-breaking antioxidants stobadine and Trolox

In an attempt to model the processes of free radical-mediated cataractogenesis, we investigated the oxidative modification of rat eye lens proteins by peroxyl radicals generated by thermal decomposition of 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane)hydrochloride (AAPH) under aerobic conditions. When incubated with AAPH, the soluble eye lens proteins precipitated in a time-dependent manner. The insolubilisation was accompanied by the accumulation of protein free carbonyls and the diminution of sulfhydryls, yet the processes were shifted in time. The SDS-PAGE analysis of the AAPH-treated proteins revealed the presence of high molecular weight cross-links and, to a lesser extent, fragments. The aggregation and cross-linking of proteins along with the generation of free carbonyls was significantly inhibited by the chain-breaking antioxidants stobadine and Trolox. On the other hand, the AAPH-initiated sulfhydryl consumption was much less sensitive to the antioxidants studied. The results point to a complex mechanism of peroxyl-radical-mediated modification of eye lens proteins with implications for cataract development and they indicate a potentially protective role of antioxidants.     

The importance of lipid solubility in antioxidants and free radical generating systems for determining lipoprotein proxidation.

The oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) plays an important role in atherosclerosis. Protecting LDL from oxidation has been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. In this study, we compared the protective effects of two lipophilic antioxidants (vitamin E and lazaroid) with two hydrophilic antioxidants (trolox and vitamin C) in the presence of several different free radical generating systems. Vitamin E (IC50 = 5.9 microM) and lazaroid (IC50 = 5.0 microM) were more effective in inhibiting lipid peroxidation caused by a Fe-ADP free radical generating system than vitamin C (IC50 = 5.2 x 10(3) microM) and trolox (IC5 = 1.2 x 10(3) microM). Preincubation of lipoproteins with a lipophilic antioxidant increased the protective effect against various free radicals. Preincubation with hydrophilic antioxidants did not have an effect. We also tested the efficacy of the antioxidants when the free radicals were generated within the lipid or the aqueous environment surrounding the LDL. For this purpose, we used the peroxyl generating azo-compounds AMVN (2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile)) and AAPH (2,2'azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride). All of the antioxidants tested were more effective against free radicals generated in a water soluble medium than they were against free radicals generated in a lipid environment. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that lipid solubility is an important factor for both the antioxidant and the free radical generating systems in determining the extent of lipid peroxidation in LDL. Our data also demonstrate that antioxidant efficacy in one set of experimental conditions may not necessarily translate into a similar degree of protection in another set of conditions where lipophilicity is a variable.     

The antioxidant activity of alpha-tocopherol-bovine serum albumin complex in micellar and liposome autoxidations

A comparison is made of the antioxidant activity of a water-soluble form of alpha-tocopherol complexed with bovine serum albumin (alpha-T X BSA) with that of micellar alpha-tocopherol and aqueous 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylate (Trolox) to inhibit autoxidation of linoleic acid in sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles. The peroxyl radical trapping ability of alpha-T X BSA compares favorably with that of alpha-tocopherol and Trolox, and all three can be used in quantitative measurements of the susceptibility of the micellar substrate to undergo autoxidation: the oxidizability, for reactions initiated in the micellar phase by di-tertbutylhyponitrite (DBHN) or in the aqueous phase by azobisamidinopropane hydrochloride (ABAP). alpha-Tocopherol and Trolox are also effective antioxidants to inhibit DBHN- or ABAP-initiated autoxidations of dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC) liposomes prepared as multilamellar or unilamellar bilayers characterized by 31P NMR spectra. The oxidizability of DLPC liposomes is determined by various combinations of water-soluble and lipid-soluble initiators and the antioxidants, alpha-tocopherol and Trolox. In contrast, alpha-T X BSA does not effectively trap peroxyl radicals when it is added after initiation of autoxidation in the lipid phase (DBHN) or in the aqueous phase (ABAP). The radical trapping ability of alpha-T X BSA becomes evident if it is mixed with the DLPC for some hours before initiation. This result is interpreted in terms of diffusion of alpha-tocopherol from the bound alpha-T X BSA form to the liposome before it exhibits antioxidant activity.     

Oxidative hemolysis of erythrocytes and its inhibition by free radical scavengers

The oxidative hemolysis of rabbit erythrocytes induced by free radicals and its inhibition by chain-breaking antioxidants have been studied. The free radicals were generated from either a water-soluble or a lipid-soluble azo compound which, upon its thermal decomposition, gave carbon radicals that reacted with oxygen immediately to give peroxyl radicals. The radicals generated in the aqueous phase from a water-soluble azo compound induced hemolysis in air, but little hemolysis was observed in the absence of oxygen. Water-soluble chain-breaking antioxidants, such as ascorbic acid, uric acid, and water-soluble chromanol, suppressed the hemolysis dose dependently. Vitamin E in the erythrocyte membranes was also effective in suppressing the hemolysis. 2,2,5,7,8-Pentamethyl-6-chromanol, a vitamin E analogue without phytyl side chain, incorporated into dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes, suppressed the above hemolysis, but alpha-tocopherol did not suppress the hemolysis. Soybean phosphatidylcholine liposomes also induced hemolysis, and a lipid-soluble azo initiator incorporated into the soybean phosphatidylcholine liposomes accelerated the hemolysis. The chain-breaking antioxidants incorporated into the liposomes were also effective in suppressing this hemolysis.     

Antioxidant mechanism of Mn(II) in phospholipid peroxidation.

Antioxidant action of Mn2+ on radical-mediated lipid peroxidation without added iron in microsomal lipid liposomes and on iron-supported lipid peroxidation in phospholipid liposomes or in microsomes was investigated. High concentrations of Mn2+ above 50 microM inhibited 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) (ABAP)-supported lipid peroxidation without added iron at the early stage, while upon prolonged incubation, malondialdehyde production was rather enhanced as compared with the control in the absence of Mn2+. However, in a lipid-soluble radical initiator, 2,2'-azobis (2,4-dimethyl-valeronitrile) (AMVN)-supported lipid peroxidation of methyl linoleate in methanol Mn2+ apparently did not scavenge lipid radicals and lipid peroxyl radicals, contrary to a previous report. At concentrations lower than 5 microM, Mn2+ competitively inhibited Fe(2+)-pyrophosphate-supported lipid peroxidation in liposomes consisting of phosphatidylcholine with arachidonic acid at the beta-position and phosphatidylserine dipalmitoyl, and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-supported lipid peroxidation in the presence of iron complex in microsomes. Iron reduction responsible for lipid peroxidation in microsomes was not influenced by Mn2+.     

Evaluation of activity of selected antioxidants on proteins in solution and in emulsions

Protection against protein oxidation by lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidants in model systems using bovine serum albumin (BSA) in solution alone, or in an emulsion with linolenic acid methyl ester (LnMe) was found to be strongly dependent on the oxidation initiator. Tocopherol, Trolox, or the carotenoids astaxanthin and canthaxanthin were incubated with BSA or BSA/LnMe and oxidation was initiated either with the water-soluble azo-initiator 2,2′ azo-bis-(2-amidinopropane) hydrochloride (AAPH), or FeCl₃ and ascorbate, or the Fenton system using FeCl₂/EDTA/H₂O₂, or with the singlet oxygen generating species anthracene-9,10-dipropionic acid disodium 1,4 endoperoxide (NDPO₂).

The results show that all the antioxidants tested were inefficient in the system with FeCl₃/ascorbate. However, with the other initiating agents, the hydrophilic antioxidant, Trolox, was the most effective in preventing both protein and lipid oxidation. In contrast the lipophilic antioxidants were ineffective in preventing oxidation of BSA in aqueous solution, but did show some moderate antioxidative activity on protein and lipid in the BSA/LnMe system. Using the singlet oxygen generating system it was also demonstrated that Trolox always provided better protection of the protein than tocopherol and the carotenoids in both the BSA and the BSA/LnMe systems. In conclusion, prevention of protein oxidation using a water-soluble antioxidant has a protective effect on the lipid fraction and this approach deserves further attention in complex biological systems.     

Evaluation of activity of selected antioxidants on proteins in solution and in emulsions

Protection against protein oxidation by lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidants in model systems using bovine serum albumin (BSA) in solution alone, or in an emulsion with linolenic acid methyl ester (LnMe) was found to be strongly dependent on the oxidation initiator. Tocopherol, Trolox, or the carotenoids astaxanthin and canthaxanthin were incubated with BSA or BSA/LnMe and oxidation was initiated either with the water-soluble azo-initiator 2,2' azo-bis-(2-amidinopropane) hydrochloride (AAPH), or FeCl₃ and ascorbate, or the Fenton system using FeCl₂/EDTA/H₂O₂, or with the singlet oxygen generating species anthracene-9,10-dipropionic acid disodium 1,4 endoperoxide (NDPO₂).

The results show that all the antioxidants tested were inefficient in the system with FeCl₃/ascorbate. However, with the other initiating agents, the hydrophilic antioxidant, Trolox, was the most effective in preventing both protein and lipid oxidation. In contrast the lipophilic antioxidants were ineffective in preventing oxidation of BSA in aqueous solution, but did show some moderate antioxidative activity on protein and lipid in the BSA/LnMe system. Using the singlet oxygen generating system it was also demonstrated that Trolox always provided better protection of the protein than tocopherol and the carotenoids in both the BSA and the BSA/LnMe systems. In conclusion, prevention of protein oxidation using a water-soluble antioxidant has a protective effect on the lipid fraction and this approach deserves further attention in complex biological systems.     

Enhancement of hyperthermia-induced apoptosis by a free radical initiator, 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride, in human histiocytic lymphoma U937 cells

To elucidate the mechanism how a free radical initiator, 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH), induces cell death at hyperthermic temperatures, apoptosis in a human histiocytic lymphoma cell line, U937, was investigated. Free radical formation deriving from the thermal decomposition of AAPH was examined by spin trapping with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO). An assay for DNA fragmentation, observation of nuclear morphological changes, and flow cytometry for phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization were used to detect apoptosis and revealed enhancement of 44.0°C hyperthermia-induced apoptosis by free radicals due to AAPH. However, free radicals alone derived from AAPH did not induce apoptosis. Hyperthermia induced the production of lipid peroxidation (LPO), an increase in intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]i) and enhanced expression of the type 1 inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP₃R1). The effects of hyperthermia on LPO and [Ca²⁺]i were enhanced markedly by the combination with AAPH. A significant decrease in Bcl-2 expression, increase in Bax expression, a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and a marked increase in cytochrome c expression were found only in cells treated with hyperthermia and AAPH. Although an intracellular Ca²⁺ ion chelator, BAPTA-AM, completely inhibited DNA fragmentation, water-soluble vitamine E, Trolox, only partially suppressed DNA fragmentation and the increase in [Ca²⁺]i. In contrast, LPO was inhibited completely by Trolox, but no inhibition by BAPTA-AM was found. These results suggest that apoptosis induced by hyperthermia alone is due to the increase in [Ca²⁺]i arising from increased expression of IP₃R1 and LPO. Additional increase in [Ca²⁺]i due to increased LPO and the activation of mitochondria-caspase dependent pathway play a major role in the enhancement of apoptosis by the combination with hyperthermia and AAPH.     

Kinetics of the lipoperoxyl radical-scavenging activity of indicaxanthin in solution and unilamellar liposomes

The reaction of the phytochemical indicaxanthin with lipoperoxyl radicals generated in methyl linoleate methanol solution by 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile), and in aqueous soybean phosphatidylcholine unilamellar liposomes by 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane)hydrochloride, was studied. The molecule acts as a chain-terminating lipoperoxyl radical scavenger in solution, with a calculated inhibition constant of 3.63 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1), and a stoichiometric factor approaching 2. Indicaxanthin incorporated in liposomes prevented lipid oxidation, inducing clear-cut lag periods and decrease of the propagation rate. Both effects were concentration-dependent, but not linearly related to the phytochemical concentration. The consumption of indicaxanthin during liposome oxidation was remarkably delayed, the lower the concentration the longer the time-interval during which it remained in its native state. Indicaxanthin and alpha-tocopherol, simultaneously incorporated in liposomes, exhibited cooperative antioxidant effects and reciprocal protective interactions. The extent of synergism decreased at the increase of the ratio (indicaxanthin)/(alpha-tocopherol). A potential antioxidant mechanism of indicaxanthin is discussed in the context of the chemistry of the molecule, and of the possible reactivity of a short-lived intermediate.     

EPR Spin Trapping Study of the Decomposition of Azo Compounds in Aqueous Solutions by Ultrasound: Potential for Use as Sonodynamic Sensitizers for Cell Killing

Sonodynamic therapy, a promising new approach to cancer treatment, is based on synergistic cell killing by combination of certain drugs (sonosensitizers) and ultrasound. Although the mechanism of sonodynamic action is not understood, the role of free radicals produced from sonosensitizers by ultrasound is implicated. In this work, we studied formation of free radicals during the decomposition of several water-soluble azo compounds by 50 kHz ultrasound in aqueous solutions. Using the spin trap 3, 5-dibromo-4-nitrosobenzene sulfonate (DBNBS) tertiary carbon-centered radicals from 2, 2'-azobis (N,N'-dimethyl-eneisobutyramidine) dihydrochloride (VA-044), 2-(carbamoylazo)-isobutyronitrile (V-30), and 2, 2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) and CH3 radicals from 1, 1'-azobis (N,N'-dimethylformamide) (ADMF) were detected in argonsaturated solutions and the corresponding oxygen-centered radicals (alkoxyl and peroxyl) from VA-044, V-30, and AAPH were identified using the spin trap 5, 5'-dimethyl-l-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) in aerated sonicated solutions. No free radicals from 4, 4'-dihydroxyazobenzene-3, 3'-dicarboxylic acid, disodium salt (DHAB) could be found in either system. While VA-044 and AAPH could also be readily decomposed by heat (42.5°C and 80°C), V-30 decomposition only occurred in the ultrasound-exposed solutions. The most likely mechanism of decomposition of azo compounds by ultrasound is their thermolysis in the heated shell of the liquid surrounding ca vita ting bubbles driven by ultrasound and/or by pyrolysis inside these bubbles. Experiments using scavengers of ·OH and ·H, which are produced by sonolysis in aqueous solutions, demonstrated that these radicals are not involved in the ultrasound-mediated radical production from the azo compounds. Due to the known cytotoxic potential of free radicals produced from azo compounds, the use of these compounds as ultrasound sensitizers appears to be a promising approach for sonodynamic cell killing.     

Synergistic effects of zeaxanthin and its binding protein in the prevention of lipid membrane oxidation

There is growing evidence that high levels of the macular xanthophyll carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin may be protective against visual loss due to age-related macular degeneration, but the actual mechanisms of their protective effects are still poorly understood. We have recently purified, identified and characterized a pi isoform of glutathione S-transferase (GSTP1) as a zeaxanthin-binding protein in the macula of the human eye which specifically and saturably binds to the two forms of zeaxanthin endogenously found in the foveal region. In this report, we studied the synergistic antioxidant role of zeaxanthin and GSTP1 in egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (EYPC) liposomes using hydrophilic 2,2'-azobis(2-methyl-propionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH) and lipophilic 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) (AMVN) as lipid peroxyl radical generators. The two zeaxanthin diastereomers displayed synergistic antioxidant effects against both azo lipid peroxyl radical generators when bound to GSTP1. In the presence of GSTP1, nondietary (3R,3'S-meso)-zeaxanthin was observed to be a better antioxidant than dietary (3R,3'R)-zeaxanthin. This effect was found to be independent of the presence of glutathione. Carotenoid degradation profiles indicated that the zeaxanthin diastereomers in association with GSTP1 were more resistant to degradation which may account for the synergistic antioxidant effects.     

Antioxidant inhibition of oxygen radicals for measurement of total antioxidant capacity in biological samples

Few methods for assessing total antioxidant capacity (TAC) include both the percentage of inhibition and the length of inhibition in the measurement. Available methods require above ambient constant temperature incubation, reaction preheating, and/or separate assays for testing hydrophilic and hydrophobic samples. We describe a high-throughput method, antioxidant inhibition of oxygen radicals (AIOR), that overcomes these difficulties. AIOR uses peroxyl radicals to trigger a decrease in fluorescence of the indicator molecule, uroporphyrin I, which is delayed by the presence of antioxidants. The area under the curve is measured by a fluorescence spectrophotometer in a 96-well microplate format, and TAC results are expressed as millimole/liter Trolox equivalents. AIOR is performed at ambient temperature and is applicable to samples in either aqueous or common organic solvents. The reaction between uroporphyrin I and the peroxyl radicals generated from 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) was found to be of first-order kinetics with a mean rate constant (k) of 0.0254. Applications to measure antioxidant capacity are demonstrated on individual chemicals and biological samples. The method has good linearity, within- and between-assay precision, and recovery.     

The effect of alpha-tocopherol as an antioxidant on the oxidation of membrane protein thiols induced by free radicals generated in different sites

Azo compounds enable us to generate peroxyl radicals by thermal decomposition at a constant rate and at a desired site, that is, water-soluble compounds produce initiating radicals in an aqueous phase and lipid-soluble compounds initiate the oxidation within the membrane-lipid layer. Using these radicals generated in different sites, we oxidized red blood cell ghost membranes to study the relationships between alpha-tocopherol depletion, initiation of lipid peroxidation, and protein damage. When radicals were generated in the aqueous phase, the loss of membrane protein thiols was observed concurrently with the consumption of membrane tocopherol and after tocopherol was exhausted the peroxidation of membrane lipids occurred. On the other hand, when radicals were initiated within the lipid region, the oxidation of thiols and the formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances were suppressed to give an induction period until tocopherol fell below a critical level. Our results indicate that the surface thiols of extrinsic proteins may compete with alpha-tocopherol for trapping aqueous radicals and spare tocopherol to some extent, whereas the oxidation of intrinsic buried thiols may commence due to lipid-derived radicals produced after tocopherol was consumed. In conclusion, alpha-tocopherol in the membrane can break the free radical chain efficiently to inhibit the lipid peroxidation. However, the effect of tocopherol on the inhibition of membrane protein damage, exhibited by the loss of thiols and the formation of high-molecular-weight proteins, would be different depending on the site of initial radical generation.     

Oxidative modification of glutamine synthetase by 2,2'-azobis(2- amidinopropane) dihydrochloride

In the present study, we examined the pattern of protein modification elicited by alkylperoxyl radicals and alkylperoxides. To this end, we exposed glutamine synthetase (GS) and the peptide melittin to solutions containing 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH), which is known to decompose in aqueous, aerobic solutions to yield alkyl radicals and alkylperoxides. Under our conditions, pH 7.4, 37 degrees C, the AAPH-dependent formation of alkylhydroperoxide increased linearly with time and led to 40% inactivation of GS in 1 h and to complete inactivation in 4 h. Complete inactivation was associated with the loss of 2 of 16 histidine residues, 6 of 17 tyrosine residues, 5 of 16 methionine residues, and all of the tryptophan residues (2 residues) per subunit. Inactivation of GS was associated also with some protein fragmentation and the formation of some higher molecular weight aggregates. Exposure of GS to AAPH led also to the generation of protein carbonyl derivatives (0.34 mol/mol subunit) and to formation of a significant amount (0.038 mol/mol subunits) of quinoprotein derivatives. To investigate the mechanism of tryptophan modification, the 26-amino-acid peptide, melittin, which contains one tryptophan but no histidine, tyrosine, or methionine residues, was treated with AAPH. N-Formylkynurenine was identified as the major product of tryptophan oxidation in melittin.     

Protective effects of carnosine, homocarnosine and anserine against peroxyl radical-mediated Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase modification

Carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine), homocarnosine (gamma-amino-butyryl-L-histidine) and anserine (beta-alanyl-1-methyl-L-histidine) have been proposed to act as anti-oxidants in vivo. The protective effects of carnosine and related compounds against the oxidative damage of human Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) by peroxyl radicals generated from 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) were studied. The oxidative damage to Cu,Zn-SOD by AAPH-derived radicals led to protein fragmentation, which is associated with the inactivation of enzyme. Carnosine, homocarnosine and anserine significantly inhibited the fragmentation and inactivation of Cu,Zn-SOD by AAPH. All three compounds also inhibited the release of copper ions from the enzyme and the formation of carbonyl compounds in AAPH-treated Cu,Zn-SOD. These compounds inhibited the fragmentation of other protein without copper ion. The results suggest that carnosine and related compounds act as the copper chelator and peroxyl radical scavenger to protect the protein fragmentation. Oxidation of amino acid residues in Cu,Zn-SOD induced by AAPH were significantly inhibited by carnosine and related compounds. It is proposed that carnosine and related dipeptides might be explored as potential therapeutic agents for pathologies that involve Cu,Zn-SOD modification mediated by peroxyl radicals.